Southern California will continue to face "dangerous fire weather conditions" including strong Santa Ana winds and extremely low humidity through later this week, forecasters said Tuesday.

Santa Ana winds are expected to slightly decrease before ramping up again Wednesday evening in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Meteorologists said there was a chance the winds would be as severe as those that fueled the Palisades and Eaton fires, but that different locations would likely be affected.

The Santa Anas are expected to be most powerful Monday night into Tuesday. Fire services across the region say they are ready.

As Santa Ana winds returned to Southern California, residents and first responders braced for another day of critical fire weather.

The Santa Ana winds are dry, powerful winds that blow down the mountains toward the Southern California coast. The region sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events a year on average, typically occurring from fall into January. When conditions are dry, as they are right now, these winds can become a severe fire hazard.

The Hughes Fire has spread over 8,096 acres after starting just before lunchtime in Los Angeles County's Castaic Lake area on Wednesday.

Forecasters in Southern California expect to issue a 'particularly dangerous situation' red flag warning for the coming week as the Santa Ana wind forecast worsens.

Gusts of up to 70 mph are possible along the coast and valleys, and in the mountains, up to 100 mph, the National Weather Service said. Parts of L.A. County, and most of Ventura County, are at highest risk.

Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active. One of the latest, the Hughes Fire in the Castaic area, has prompted evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

The 10,000-acre Hughes Fire near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic, which sent thousands fleeing this week, was more than 50% contained Friday with all mandatory evacuation orders lifted.The wildfire was first reported around 10:45 a.

Firefighters made progress on the more than 10,000-acre Hughes Fire Friday, which sent thousands fleeing after sparking near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic a day earlier.